The following day starts much the same as the previous, I woke up to the rays of the morning sun hitting my face instead of the farmiliar bang of pots as I would at the orphanage. I forgot to get an alarm clock… though with all the money I spent I probably should hold off on that until next month, especially since there is so much more of the bare essentials to get, hair brush, tooth brush, tooth paste, and the like were still on the ever growing list of things needed.

I'd have to find a way to make extra money and fast… would they let a five year old get a job in this world? Maybe a weekend or after school job? It wasn't like I wouldn't know enough to do basic work even if it was just chores. Hell I'd even work below minimum wage if necessary… wait was their minimum wage in this world? Or workers rights at all?! There's another headache of concerns to think about.

I thought about this a little, knowing what it was I was really doing, stalling and procrastinating, two of my go to responses, as unfortunate as that was. I don't want to get out of bed… it's only been… what… two days? Yes two days, since I moved in here and already I feel I have no idea what I am doing. Not at all. The truth is I never lived alone before in my old life either. I was about to START university after all, the most I had in terms of experience with this sort of thing was once when I babysat a kid for two weeks at his house. Earned a lot of money from that, it was nice. However even then there were pre-made meals and it wasn't like they were lacking in anything around the house, nor did I have such a tight budget to work with.

I sit up on my bed and decided to meditate a little. Organize my thoughts and all that so that I don't start this day feeling overwhelmed/numb like I currently am.

Meditation Proficiency Level has risen X 1

I can do this. I have to. With a determination that is only half faked (fake it till you make it), I get up quickly going to take out the left overs from last nights burnt stir fry, I eat it quickly and lay some out for Ami. I then get to work on the now overflowing kitchen sink full of dishes and pots. How I miss dishwashers… do they have those in this world? Please let them have dishwashers!

I get to work scrubbing the dishes by hand with a cloth from one of the drawers and soap laying it out to dry on the counter. There's a small window over the sink that's square and looks out just a little bit to the side, it has no view only rooftops of the three shorter adjacent buildings before being met with a wall. I ideally note a person could fit through said window and walk on the rooftops, a thought for later. Focusing back on the task at hand, I giggle a little at the sounds the silverware make as I scrub them remembering a commercial for cleaning supplies that seemed to be on loop constantly. At the store there really wasn't a variety of products to choose from to be honest. I could see how that would be, from my understanding this culture preferred more traditional and simple values with most things. At least this doesn't feel foreign. I do know how to wash dishes and I did help with them (regardless of what my mother in my past life would tell you). I also would help with clean up after meals at the orphanage. There was actually a skill for it.

Maintenance Proficiency Level 27

Ability to maintain, clean, and fix up items and/or possessions effectively. Speed and success improves per level. Increase in quality of the item 0.25% per level increase in speed of action 0.5% per level once action is familiar. Current ability, quality increase 6.75%, speed increase 13.5%

Not high yet but looking at this from the perspective of someone who now desperately needs to reuse items and buy cheap things this skill will be very useful. I hum a little as I clean, I am itching to play my flute, how long has it been? It would be a good stress reliever to say the least.

When Ami wakes up and comes out yawning I keep a smile on my face. "Foods in the fridge. Then grab a cloth so we can clean this place up!" I declare with fake cheer. I hate cleaning. I hate it sooo much. She raises and eyebrow and I feel found out, I feel an embarrassed blush creeping onto my face. I'm glad that the deep calm doesn't numb all things just intense emotions, too intense to let me think straight. Though I am getting better at blocking the deep calm at will it requires a small amount of concentration to do so. With the dishes now air drying I start on the counter tops determined to clean them, the tables and then move onto the floors. Great thing about having so little items their not a lot to organize at the very least. So silver linings I guess? How am I getting myself more depressed already?! I should have slept longer!

"I'm doing the laundry." Ami states after she finished her meal her nose wrinkling a little. It's not a five course meal but if she wants to cook she can. She is looking at me cleaning the counter, as I focus intently on an annoying stain, or is it just a part of the design? I'm going with the second option for now. I look up slightly, eye contact between the two of us is made for a second at most before I look away, there is so much confusion in her eyes, really… I don't know why but for some reason I feel responsible for her. Maybe I just miss being a sibling? Yet at the same time her… intensity feels overwhelming.

"Ok, do mine too alright Ami-chan?" I ask skill working on the counter, something tells me my maintenance skill is going to level up faster than any other skill.

I don't check with Ami as I hear the clicks and beeps of the washing machine coming alive. She wordlessly starts cleaning the windows, her actions instinctual. We don't have window cleaner so the water cloth way will leave smudges and slight blurs but who cares right?

As we start on the floor I start to hum a little, the apartment isn't big, we should have it ready by lunch, then I can go and buy some bathroom stuff and look around a little more. After all other than the three compounds I was yet to really explore the village. A map would be useful but I couldn't spend money on that… still that was a thought for later.

I got up too lost in thought slipping on the cloth now wet and dirty sending myself crashing to the floor with a groan. How am I supposed to be a ninja when wet rags were able to defeat me? I thought mentally pouting a little bit while simultaneously laughing at myself. It was a good reminder not to take myself too seriously. However my thoughts were cut off by the sounds of another's laughter.

"You… you…" Ami said between laughs a huge grin on her face, a teasing one but as always there was that slight defensive edge to it that never seemed to leave her completely. "You ok there googly-eyes?" She asked laughing some more and I blinked. What is it with the people of this village and giving me nicknames? Koharu called me dear, Yataka called me chibi, and now Ami was calling me googly-eyes? It was annoying. I smirked as a thought came over me and the I grabbed the offending rag still full of white soap. Hey if it can down one future kunoichi why not another? I threw it through the air where it not so gracefully landed the purple haired girls head drenching said hair with dirty soap bubbles as I smirked widely at her.

"I'm fine soap-head, how bout you?" I asked grinning with a Cheshire Cat smile I was sure. At first she seemed shocked and surprised, slowly realization dawned on her face and mild fury took over.

"Googly-eyes!" She yelled and lunged forawrd trying to pin me. I slipped out of her grasp and used the action against her throwing her onto her back as a mild cat fight seemed to take place with hissing and scratching and everything.

"Ugh!" I cried out slightly as sharp nails dug into the skin on my forearm undoubtably cutting through soft flesh. I responded by grabbing Ami's hair and pushing her away. She latched onto my leg pulling me to her as we russled both getting more than a few bruises especially when I knees her in the side, not hard but hard enough. At one point I can't make out when, she or I tipped over the bowl of water making us both wet. I don't know how long we were at it, rustling on the floor like wild animals but it was exillersting and as the tiredness creeped in so did my smile. I can't help but get the feeling that I could tell more about her now in a strange sort of way. How she lunged at every reaction good or bad, taking advantage of any doubt or weakness in my movements. How she defended herself first and attacked second flinching every now and then but her face to held a smirk. More importantly though I think she knew more about me. We collapsed next to each other panting. I looked outside the sun had changed position. How long had it been that we were going at each other?

"I win…" Her voice rasped out, quiet and subdued, dare I say it satisfied. My heart was pounding in my chest as I move to get up with the slightest groan.

"You're a good sparring partner. Thanks." I told her and she seemed quieter. I looked outside getting to my feet and held out a hand that she hesitantly took getting to her feet. "We have to do that again!" I announced and she looked completely and totally speechless, after a while I followed her gaze to my arm. Yes it was bleeding. I'd have to clean it to avoid infection but hey it wasn't going to scar or anything. I smiled going to my room to get my money and get some supplies. It was late so I decided to run instead of take in the scenery of the village.

Running Proficiency Level 11

The ability to run quickly and proficiently. Stamina cost decreases with higher levels. Speed increase 1% increase in speed per level while running. Current speed 111%.

I got the items quickly but efficiently as I blew through the last of my spending money for the month. I ran back as the sun began to set out of breath and probably looking like death. I opened some of the cans of beans mixing it with vegetables to make some sort of veggie platter even I wasn't sure what it was.

Cooking Proficiency Level has risen X2

I served the plates pausing as the sound of the washing machine was no longer present and saw that Ami's clothes were hanging to dry on the bathroom door. My clothes however were piled at the base of the machine not wet in the least because they had never been cleaned to begin with. I frowned, I knew it was intentional

and it almost hurt, but I really shouldn't expect anything from Ami. We were strangers sharing a home and that was all, she was a kid who didn't trust me in the least and probably didn't even like me….

A numb feeling washed over me preventing any sadness on that thought from truly lingering as I grabbed the clothes shoving them roughly into the small white machine that from a certain angle looked almost like a space ship. A strange 'modern' contraption in this world that still had black smiths. I didn't bother calling for Ami as I finished eating and headed out to the little platform with my flute to let off some steam. It was petty that I hoped she wouldn't realize dinner was ready until it was cold, petty and childish but I didn't really care that much so I sat and played an easy tune from my old life I had managed to remember a bit ago letting the music fill the air.

Flute Proficiency level 7

Ability to play the flute and produce actual music. Ease at which you play increases per level. Increase in sound quality 1% per level. Current sound quality 107%.

I ended up playing 'my heart will go on' remembering lightly how I learnt it. It was one of my first songs… I had taken up the flute in grade 9 in music class since I couldn't sing to save my life I had taken instruments and found I had a knack for it. I chose the flute on a whim, it was that or a stringed instrument and I didn't much fancy getting blisters up and down my hands. 'My heart will go on' was the very first song I had learnt. I had been so proud and had played it every chance I got until the song would forever make my loved ones groan with annoyance from the increasingly repetitive tune.

Flute proficiency level has risen X3

You have gained 1 CRE X2

You have gaine 1 DEX X1

I played the song feeling peices of my old life mixing with my new one as my troubles were forgotten. As it started to rain I didn't go inside instead I continued to play letting rain drop fall down my face as I closed my eyes. I wasn't very good in this life, not yet, but I was better than most beginners which is why I think this skill seemed to raise quickly. I didn't leave until I turned seeing Ami standing at the doorway staring at me. She visibly flinched when our eyes met and this time she was the one to look away.

"Night Ami-chan." I tell her as I walk past her to got get ready for bed and meditated for a while more before going to bed knowing there was only 7 days before the start of the academy.